Fear on the Phantom Special

by Edward Marston

  ‘Alexander Piper was a drunken, forceful, overexcited, red-blooded young man.’

  ‘But he was due to get married fairly soon.’

  ‘He wouldn’t be the first bridegroom who was tempted to seek random pleasure before taking solemn vows that would bind him for life to his chosen partner. Miss Haslam was not on that train,’ said Colbeck. ‘Don’t you think it odd that a man helps to organise an excursion that his future wife is unwilling to take part in? Would you have done such a thing shortly before your marriage to Estelle?’

  ‘It would never have crossed my mind,’ said Leeming, hotly. ‘I think it was indecent and I’m shocked that Hedley went along with it.’

  ‘Hedley was dazzled by him. You can hear it in his voice. It’s almost a case of hero worship,’ said Colbeck. ‘Hedley was used to making allowances for the defects in Piper’s character. It’s what close friends do. I believe that he’s far too honourable to ape Piper’s behaviour but, equally, he had neither the power nor the inclination to check his friend’s excesses.’ He put an apologetic hand on Leeming’s shoulder. ‘I’m sorry to get you up so early, Victor. I hope you’ll now accept that coming here was well worth the effort.’

  Alan Hinton had more cause than most detectives to be wary of the superintendent’s return. He knew what it was like to be yelled at and threatened by Edward Tallis, a towering figure at Scotland Yard. As a rule, he tried to keep out of the way of his superior but, when Tallis was kidnapped, Hinton was sent off to Canterbury to join in the search for him. He’d received heartfelt thanks from the older man for his part in the rescue, then had to watch the dramatic decline in Tallis’s mental health. Ironically, in trying to help the superintendent, Hinton only got himself yelled at with even more ferocity.

  When he saw Tallis coming down the corridor towards him, therefore, his first instinct was to turn around and scamper out of the way. Steeling himself, he decided to carry on and hoped that he might get away with a curt nod from the other man. Tallis surprised him.

  ‘Ah,’ he said, stopping in front of the younger man and beaming at him. ‘It’s Hinton, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes, sir … Welcome back.’

  ‘Thank you. I feel rather like a new boy at school at the moment, but I’m slowly familiarising myself with my routine.’

  Hinton looked at him closely. The change was remarkable. Tallis looked healthy and clear-eyed. He’d lost weight, trimmed his moustache even more and seemed years younger. He also showed a genuine interest in Hinton.

  ‘What are you assigned to at the moment?’

  ‘I’ve been investigating a case of attempted arson in Finsbury, sir.’

  ‘Have you made any progress?’

  ‘We have two men in custody.’

  ‘Excellent, excellent … you’re one of Colbeck’s protégés, aren’t you?’

  ‘I’ve learnt a lot from the inspector, if that’s what you mean, sir.’

  ‘We all have.’

  Hinton couldn’t believe that the man regarded as the resident ogre was so benign and approachable. Was it a sign of recovery or a form of relapse? Whichever it was, he decided to remain cautious when dealing with him.

  ‘Actually, sir,’ he said, ‘I’ve been looking for Inspector Colbeck this morning, but nobody seems to know where he is.’

  ‘He’s in the Lake District at the moment, looking for a man who disappeared in mysterious circumstances. You’ll know all about a situation like that, of course, because you were involved in the search for me when I was abducted.’

  ‘Fortunately, we found you just in time.’

  ‘I hope that Colbeck has equal success in Cumberland.’

  ‘He rarely fails.’

  ‘This case will tax even his fabled abilities, I fear. He and Sergeant Leeming will be working all hours.’

  In order to get to Ambleside, he took the train to Birthwaite then transferred to a coach and paid the one-shilling fare. During a journey of well over four miles, Colbeck had the chance to see some of the most stunning views he’d ever encountered. Set among the mountains at the head of Lake Windermere, Ambleside was a small market town in the Vale of Brathay. It was built on a steep incline which gave it a curious irregularity that added to its charm. Even at first glance Colbeck was struck by its romantic aura and promised himself that he would one day bring Madeleine there to savour its beauty. Wansfell Pike loomed high above him and he could see a couple of climbers inching their way up it. From what he’d heard about Alexander Piper, he suspected that, as soon as he’d been strong enough as a boy, he’d probably taken on the challenge set by all the peaks in the surrounding area. There was obviously a daredevil streak in him that may have brought about his downfall.

  Piper’s parents lived in a rambling old house in the shadow of Loughrigg Fell. When Colbeck rang the bell, the door was opened by a servant, who straightened his shoulders when the inspector introduced himself. Inviting him in, he ushered the visitor along a corridor and into the drawing room. As he went in, a shock awaited Colbeck.

  Rodney and Emma Piper were dressed from head to foot in black. In their opinion, any hope of finding their son alive had ceased to exist. They were already in mourning.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Left on his own at Kendal Station, Victor Leeming had been busy. He’d managed to talk to both the driver and the fireman of the Phantom Special, discovering that neither of them had really wanted to be involved in the excursion because it meant staying on duty for hours while – in their own words – a group of rich, rowdy, selfish, drunken young people went off to play silly games in a wood. Leeming liked their forthrightness, enlivened, as it was, by the odd expletive. When he’d taken statements from both railwaymen, he went off to interview the first of the three men Hedley had designated as possible suspects.

  Cecil Dymock was a local doctor and, since he was examining a patient when Leeming arrived, the sergeant had to wait until the consultation was over. Insisting on seeing Dymock next, he had a row with a patient waiting for an appointment and annoyed that someone was jumping the queue. Leeming’s status as a Scotland Yard detective carried no weight with him. It did so, however, with the doctor, who whisked the sergeant immediately into his consulting room.

  ‘I’m sure you realise why I’m here,’ Leeming began.

  ‘Frankly, I don’t. What I am certain is that you didn’t come to have a boil lanced or an ingrown toenail dealt with. You’re here on official business of some sort.’

  ‘It concerns Alexander Piper.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘Your name was given to me as someone who’d fallen out with the gentleman.’

  Dymock gave a hollow laugh. ‘You surely don’t think that I had anything to do with his disappearance?’

  ‘I’m simply gathering evidence, Doctor.’

  ‘Evidence of what, for heaven’s sake?’

  ‘Let me ask the questions, please.’

  Leeming had taken against him on sight. Dymock was a stringy man in his forties with the kind of patronising manner that made the sergeant squirm. But that, he reminded himself, didn’t mean that the doctor was in any way party to a murder. Colbeck had always emphasised the need to be objective when questioning a suspect and that’s what he now strove to be.

  ‘I’m told that you’re a well-respected doctor,’ he said.

  ‘Spare me false compliments, Sergeant.’

  ‘You are also an experienced climber and love to tackle the most difficult peaks.’

  ‘It’s my hobby,’ said Dymock.

  ‘It may be relevant to our investigation, sir.’

  The doctor gaped. ‘Are you telling me that you came all the way from London to discuss climbing with me?’

  ‘No, sir, we’re here to discover how and why Mr Piper vanished on his way to a Hallowe’en party. Your name has been put forward because, I gather, you and the missing man were sworn enemies.’

  ‘I loathed him. Piper was despicable.’

  ‘Could you be more specific, plea
se?’

  ‘No, I can’t,’ snapped the other. ‘I’ve nothing further to add about Alex Piper. What I will say is this. Our landscape is a joy to behold in daylight but, on a dark night, it can become treacherous. Freak accidents happen all the time. Even able climbers have come to grief in the mountains.’

  He looked his visitor straight in the eye to signal that he would say nothing else. Leeming accepted defeat. Dymock was like so many professional men he’d questioned, masters of evasion who hid behind a wall of pomposity and who made the sergeant feel his social inferiority. Moving to the door, the doctor opened it wide.

  ‘Thank you for coming,’ he said with light sarcasm, ‘but I must now attend to my next patient.’

  While they were touched that he’d made the effort to visit them so early in the day, Rodney Piper and his wife were beyond the stage when reassurance had any effect on them. Even though Colbeck pointed out that he’d found missing persons who’d been lost for a whole week yet who’d still been alive when finally discovered, they refused to believe there could be hope. When they offered him refreshment, he was glad to accept. The three of them were soon sipping cups of tea. Emma Piper somehow managed to hold back tears and her husband went off into a kind of trance, gazing at the crucifix on the mantelpiece. As he watched the man’s lips moving, Colbeck could guess what words the archdeacon was sending up to heaven. All of a sudden, Piper shook himself.

  ‘Oh!’ he cried. ‘Do please excuse me, Inspector. It was very rude of me to drift off like that.’

  ‘You must do as you wish. I have no complaint.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘I know it’s a sensitive area,’ said Colbeck, gently, ‘but do you feel able to talk about your son?’

  ‘We’ve done nothing else since we heard the grim tidings.’

  ‘We feel so guilty,’ said his wife. ‘Mr Hedley will have told you that we were estranged from Alex. What he may not have confided is that he tried to bring us back together again.’

  ‘As it happens he did mention his efforts to act as peacemaker but Mr Hedley was far too modest to trumpet his good deeds.’

  ‘You’ve judged him aright,’ said Piper. ‘The tragedy is that, in losing our son, we lost our friendship with his best friend. If we had our time again, we’d behave differently. In spite of his shortcomings, Alex was still our son. I should have kept that fact inscribed upon my heart.’

  ‘You did what you felt was right, Rodney,’ said Emma. ‘There was a point where bad behaviour could no longer be tolerated.’

  ‘According to Mr Hedley,’ said Colbeck, ‘your son was given to impulsive action. He found living here with you in this beautiful little town far too tame an existence.’

  ‘Tame?’ repeated Piper. ‘Is that what our lives really look like? Did Alex never see the passion that underlay our beliefs? In a sinful world such as this, someone has to stand up for righteousness. I felt that it was my duty to do so.’

  For one scary moment, Colbeck feared that his host was about to unleash a sermon tailored especially for him, but the danger soon passed. Piper and his wife withdrew into a lengthy mutual silence. Colbeck studied them in turn. As predicted by his brother-in-law, Piper did have the gaunt, pale, spiritual look of a martyr suffering in the name of his faith. Emma Piper, on the other hand, was plump yet still attractive and appeared to be glowing with health. The couple finally became aware of their guest and apologised in unison for their bad manners.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ said Emma. ‘We keep doing that all the time, I fear. Rodney and I have so much on our minds.’

  ‘That’s understandable,’ said Colbeck, tolerantly.

  ‘Please excuse our poor hospitality,’ added Piper. ‘You come all the way from London to help us and we can’t even behave politely. I promise you that we’ll make an effort to concentrate from now on.’

  ‘Thank you, sir.’

  ‘I can see that you have many questions for us.’

  ‘The first one concerns the forthcoming marriage,’ said Colbeck. ‘Did it meet with your approval?’

  ‘There’s no short answer to that, Inspector. The news took us rather by surprise and showed how little we knew of Alex’s life. We have nothing against Miss Haslam as a person. She’s a delightful young woman and we’ve always been on good terms with her family. My worry, however,’ admitted Piper, ‘is that she doesn’t know how wayward our son can be. It’s a dreadful thing to say about one’s own flesh and blood, but I feel that Miss Haslam deserves a more serious and committed husband than Alex could ever be.’

  ‘That was my reaction at first,’ said his wife, ‘but I came to the view that it might be the best thing that ever happened to our son. Melissa Haslam might have been the salvation of him. More to the point, the wedding would be a means of uniting us with Alex at last. That was important to me.’

  ‘And to me, Emma,’ said Piper. ‘The very fact that he was prepared to renounce his bachelor life was heartening. My doubts may be quite illusory. I prayed earnestly that being a husband – and, in time, a father – would be the making of him.’

  ‘We fear for poor Melissa. She’s such a sensitive creature. This tragedy will scar her for life.’

  ‘That depends on what we find,’ said Colbeck. ‘If it turns out that your son was killed in an unfortunate accident, it will be easier to bear. If, however, it transpires that he was a murder victim, Miss Haslam may be quite unable to cope with the enormity of the loss.’

  Melissa Haslam and her mother had also turned to prayer. After a visit to Holy Trinity Church, they came out arm in arm and walked to the waiting carriage. Bridget Haslam had found a degree of comfort while on her knees at the altar rail, but her daughter was still assailed by demons. As they were driven away, she was more fearful than ever.

  ‘I know the truth now,’ she said, visibly shaking.

  ‘How can you, Melissa?’

  ‘It all became clear inside the church.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘It’s almost as if God felt that I should know the worst. Lord Culverhouse was wrong. Alex is not wandering from place to place. It’s foolish to believe that he could be.’

  ‘Then what did happen to him?’

  ‘He was murdered,’ said Melissa with conviction. ‘He was killed in cold blood and, worst of all, a woman was involved.’

  Tears began to cascade down her cheeks.

  They had caught up with the rest of the search team and were part of a line that stretched out fifty yards or more. Moving forward together, they combed the area systematically. When he felt they needed a rest, Hedley called out to the others and they paused for refreshment. He’d brought water with him and offered the bottle to Caroline Treadgold. She shook her head.

  ‘I need something stronger than that.’

  ‘I can’t provide it, I’m afraid.’

  ‘No matter,’ she said. ‘In another half an hour, we’ll reach The Jolly Traveller – not that I feel very jolly at the moment.’

  ‘Why did you decide to join us?’

  ‘I felt compelled to do so.’

  ‘Aren’t you afraid of what we might find?’

  ‘However awful, I must know the truth.’

  Hedley had a sip of water then put the cork back into the bottle. He looked at her with a mingled interest and affection.

  ‘It’s good of you to come, Caroline.’

  ‘I had no choice.’

  ‘Alex would’ve been grateful.’

  ‘He had a lot to be grateful for,’ she said, introducing a slightly sour note. ‘But that’s all in the past.’ She became quizzical. ‘How much did he tell you about me?’

  ‘He told me very little and that, in itself, was unusual. When he’d had a drink or two, Alex loved to boast. But he never did that where you were concerned. It was months before he even confessed that you’d been seeing each other in secret.’

  She smiled. ‘I like secrecy. It excites me.’

  ‘Well, you’ve rather ab
andoned it today, Caroline. When people see you crawling over the hillsides with us, they’ll work out why you’re here.’

  ‘Alex would expect it of me, that’s why.’

  ‘Your secret will be out.’

  ‘I’m proud of that, Hedley. For all I care, the whole world can know about it now. The truth is that he loved me and never really left me. In his heart,’ she said, eyes glinting, ‘I always had pride of place.’

  Since Colbeck had set out for Ambleside early that morning, it was left to Victor Leeming to establish contact with the local constabulary. Arriving at the police station, he was met by Sergeant Bernard Ainsley. Bulky, broad-shouldered and moustached, the man gave him a guarded welcome. It was no more than Leeming had expected. Wherever they went, the detectives aroused hostility from the local and railway police, all of whom resented what they perceived as interference, because it meant they were considered unequal to the task of solving a particular crime. Leeming tried to ease the situation with an emollient smile but all that got back in return was a sustained glower from the older man.

  ‘Don’t bother with introductions,’ said Ainsley, ‘I know who you are and what you are.’

  ‘May I at least know your name?’

  ‘Sergeant Ainsley.’

  ‘I’m sure we can count on your cooperation, Sergeant.’

  ‘What you mean is that you’ll steal all the intelligence that we’ve gathered and pass it off as your own.’

  ‘We’re not here to steal anything. Our job is quite simple. A man has disappeared. You can’t find him. We will.’

  ‘And how do you propose to do that? Go on, tell me. Did you bring a magic wand?’ Leeming laughed. ‘It’s what you’ll need if you expect to solve this puzzle before we do.’

  ‘We were summoned here by Lord Culverhouse.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘As you know, he has a very personal interest in this case. What do you think he’d say if he realised that someone from the Cumberland constabulary is refusing to assist us?’